Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO is a treatment modality typically used in patients to replace or assist in the respiratory and/or cardiac function of medically compromised patients. In its broadest sense, ECMO uses one or more catheters and a pump system to draw blood away from the body, outside of the patient. The blood is then pumped through a gas exchanger, where carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed from the blood and oxygen (O2) is added. The oxygenated blood is then pumped back to the circulatory system of the patient, where it can be perfused to the rest of the body. In some ECMO systems, blood is drawn from the venous system and returned to the arterial system. In other forms, it is drawn from the venous system and returned to the venous system.
ECMO is usually implemented by large bore cannulae inserted percutaneously into a major peripheral vein or a major peripheral artery of the body (e.g., femoral vein, subclavian vein, jugular vein; femoral artery, subclavian artery, etc.). However, there are many patients in whom the right ventricle is not working properly and/or there is a major problem with the pulmonary circuit that renders this form of therapy ineffective.